Rural India a $50 billion market for clean energy innovations
The farming sector offers the largest green energy innovation opportunity, with rice transplanting, pesticide spraying and grain harvesting together having a market potential worth $40 billion – says the Council on Energy, Environment and Water.
India added world’s second largest PV capacity in first half of 2018
The nation installed 4.9 GW of solar, surpassing the USA – which installed 4.7 GW – to become the second largest solar market in the first half of the year, second only to China’s 24.3 GW.
India’s 40 GW rooftop solar aim hit by high costs, net metering caps
Factors including the ability to reach less credit worthy clients, standardised regulatory support and a rating mechanism for developers could promote rooftop solar uptake in India.
IEA low-balls solar growth (again)
The agency’s base case expects relatively flat growth in solar deployment over the next six years, but for solar to still dominate growth among renewable technologies. The agency’s estimates are again below those of major market analysts.
IPCC: 1.5°C limit needs rapid and far-reaching action but enables SDG progress
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a new report on different ways global warming can be kept within the 1.5°C limit. The panel seeks to inform policymakers before the upcoming COP24 in Poland this December. Resulting from their analysis, the 91 authors state that drastic action and significant investments are needed. Such climate action across all sectors would have significant positive effects on sustainable development progress, they say.
Gujarat will soon tender 250 MW solar+storage capacity
Saurabhbhai Patel, Minister of Energy, Government of Gujarat, has announced that the state will soon issue a 250 MW grid-connected solar tender linked with storage. He also said that Gujarat will add more than 5 GW of new PV capacity in the next three years.
Azure closes financing for 300 MW of PV, signs 415 PPAs
Azure Power has announced the early closing of a financing deal worth INR 4 billion (around US$58 million) for a 100 MW solar plant in the Indian state of Karnataka; and INR 6 billion (around $88 million) for a 200 MW solar power plant in Rajasthan. It also signed 415 rooftop solar PPAs in Madhya Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh will tender another 500 MW solar capacity by end of October
The recent 500 MW grid-connected solar capacity tendered by the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) was oversubscribed by 250 MW. A reverse auction will now be held on October 9. The capacity is part of the previous 1 GW tendered capacity, which was oversubscribed by around 800 MW, but cancelled due to high tariffs
PM Modi: 40% electricity generation from non-fossils by 2030, up to $80 billion for PV manufacturing
India’s Prime Minister kick started the first Assembly of the ISA, the second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting, and the 2nd Global RE-Invest yesterday in Greater Noida. The agenda of the day? Universal access to solar energy at affordable rates; securing 40% of India’s electricity generation from non-fossil fuels by 2030, and allocating up to US$80 billion to boost domestic PV manufacturing.
Delhi Cabinet approves rooftop solar scheme
The Delhi state government has approved the Mukhyamantri Solar Power Scheme, which offers five-year subsidies on electricity bills for group housing societies and individual consumers installing rooftop solar panels.
